Mentoring, coaching and social visits from key figures inside and outside hurling

Regular fundraising prizes such as Etihad Airways flights and Hurling All Ireland Final tickets

Dave Walsh, Etihad’s Ireland Country Manager, said: “Sports clubs are always looking for sponsorship opportunities and we are delighted to launch the competition with this incredible prize. We are looking for the club that wants to ‘Raise The Bar’ and show us why they deserve to be the winner.”

Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Liam Ó Néill urged hurling clubs everywhere to engage with the initiative: “This is an excellent way of engaging with our hurling sponsors Etihad Airways and there is an attractive prize on offer for the lucky winning club. It’s innovative and exciting and participation alone has the potential to stir interest and vibrancy in our clubs as they look at different ways of making them and what they do stand out from other clubs.”

Clubs enter the competition by submitting written and video entries that show how they ‘Raise The Bar’ and why they deserve to win the sponsorship package. Achievement comes in many forms, not just silverware. Etihad Airways wants to reward one special club, whether that is being the focal point of their community, or managing to keep the club going against the odds or even growing their club in recent times. Details can also be found online at etihadgaa.ie.

The winning club will be decided by a public vote and by a panel of judges consisting of Nicky English, Des Cahill and Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh.

Etihad Airways has a rich history in innovative hurling competitions and ‘Raise The Bar’ follows the hugely successful ‘Best Club Under the Sun’ competition, which last year was won by Clarinbridge GAA Club in Co Galway.